About this not-so-accidental Project called Mitti

Log in.

I had been hanging out at this new cafè for 3 days straight. Had been almost a year working with Mocha, had taken quite a few trips, and had researched quite a bit on cafè cultures across the cities I had traveled to. So when I sat down on that single couch, under the Fire & Ice poem reading the book Asura, I had strongly felt that this place had the vibes that I'd wanna stay with. Also, had the potential to be different than all the other cafès of the city.

The 4th day, it was only accidentally, that I learned about Mitti looking for a social media manager. But I think it wasn't purely accidental. It was serendipitous. I kinda invited Mitti in my life. And totally walked the red carpet into this experience myself.

I was on board after 20 days of its opening. The inception of branding had just begun. Since then, it's been a journey of almost two and a half years with Mitti. Very quietly, it became the thing I would wake up looking forward to every morning.

I love everything about it - the logo, the menu, the food, the culture, the people I met via it, the concept, the chai, and the space it gave me to experiment and learn.

From thoughts and social media concepts to design and communication branding, from menu development and events to chilling with regulars and all the third party dealings, from events ranging from Improv Music eve to Writers' Jam, from me taking over the mic to me crying on the center table :P, from me assisting on shoots to me creating a social media presence that became the talk of the town — I've been so invested that it feels like my baby!

Gave it my blood and sweat, my soul and heart and I love — absolutely LOVE — how Mitti reflects all of it.

This project will forever be close to my heart. Now as I wind this up, I can only think of how I shaped it, and also, how it shaped me.

Creating this brand has been a crazy energy ride – an overwhelming rollercoaster, my personal creative space and also, an absolute pleasure.

Logging out.

(Check out my social media branding work, campaigns, ideas here @mitticafe)

To the Cafés of Indore

To the Cafés of Indore,

You beautifully done places, how have you been?
How has the footfall been recently? Is it good, like the time you opened up? Or the new café round the corner has stolen your thunder? Never mind! Another café will be taking it's place sooner.

I am sure you must be still shining with all those fancy lights in the evening. But you guys need to hide (read, remove) that dingy lil painting now. Your couches are wearing out too. Take care of yourselves, no?

How is Ms. Kitchen doing? Serving the same old items? Whatever happened to new introductions and "today's special" gestures?
And OMG! I totally forgot, whatever happened to taste? Stopped serving it all of a sudden, didn't we?

I come here for a freshly brewed machine coffee. Also, nicely done coffee. The one you proudly show in the amazing pictures in your ads. Get me? The one that has hearts and trees and butterflies and bees on them. Oh those pictures are from the internet? Oops, my bad.

Let's skip talking about the core authentic food already... but even the taste of your pizzas and pastas, burgers and noodles is also so Indian. I love my country and I'm proud of it's rich and varied heritage, much inspired are we?
And talk about the quantity of your food. It's not even stomach-filling yaa.. Nevertheless, you conveniently charge a bomb for it.

Have you ever thought of the music you play? The music has to be soft and melodious.. But you'd play Honey Singh or similar. Like seriously, who plays Dope-shope and Chittiyaan Kallaiyaan in a café?
Sab khairiyat toh hai na, bhai?

Oh and your people who get us the menu card and come to take the orders, have they been captured straight from the jail? No? I thought so because they can't even be nice.
Forget having knowledge about what they have on the menu!

Your sofas have sunken-ed in, the menu cards are in bits and the tables are not really clean. But who cares? Your guests are here for coffee.. Which is not made that well, but well, again, who cares?
The customers are used to it. Nobody complains. So it's okay, right?
Some of you do have a suggestion box / diary though. (Covered with dust, never paid attention to, etc.)

Dear Café Owners,
Have you ever visited your café through somebody else's eye?
I bet, anybody would tell you how much you NEED to train your staff.
I am sure you must have tasted stuff to keep a check but most of the times, I think you take your customers - people who give you business and also, keep you in business - way too lightly.
Café business is just not about coffee and food. People visit cafés for experiences.
Don't forget that if even a couple of bad experiences are able to voice out well, they can cost you a fall.

Value the visitors, make good coffee and food, serve them quality, play soft and beautiful music, and maybe keep a book or two for the solo visitors?
Make our experience worthwhile of the money we are ready to spend. And I don't know if I can stress this enough, but at least please train your staff to greet, be nice and most importantly, smile at the visitors?

In expectation of better things and times ahead,
Priyanka.